Did I do a bad thing?

[TXGunNut]

A guy at work has discovered guns and has bounced a several questions off me over the past few months. He wants to get into reloading but can't find enough components or equipment to get started. I told him to buy a manual and bide his time, should be able to get started by the time he finishes the manual. It's easier to gather things up a few pieces at a time anyway. He has a standing offer to come by the house for an hour or two at my loading bench. I think he'll do it, we'll see. I very seldom make that offer but he's a good kid.
Here's where I crossed the line; poor guy bought a thutty-thutty 336 and can't find ammo for it and it's eating him up. I finally sized and cleaned 20 cases last night, tonight I loaded them with some Corelokt bullets I had stashed. Actually found quite a few J-words, seems I have a cabinet full of them that I'd forgotten all about. :wink: I figure j-words will be a good start for him, no sense pushing him off in the deep end...for now.
I don't load for anyone but my brother but I've been loading long enough I'd be more worried about factory loads than ones from my bench. I'll take them to him tomorrow with an out-of-date Hornady manual, hope it gets him interested enough in loading to buy a current manual and start gathering stuff together. I'm thinking some stuff is finding it's way to the shelves, should be able to start loading in a month or two.
Did I do wrong? Should I have waited for him to gather up the stuff and load them himself? I guess I should have had him come up and load them himself but he lives over an hour away and I needed some stress relief this week.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

thing!

[Copper75]

Sounds like a good thing to me!
Tell him that he'll have to come learn how to load em himself if he wants more. Show him how to do it right then let him do it. "The first one's free but you gotta pay for any more" works for the dope dealers, why not gun guys :)

[Dannmann801]

You did good the way I see it.

[TXGunNut]

I'm hoping his 336 will like my loads, I haven't actually fired this load (170gr Corelokt over 27gr RX7, light/moderate roll crimp) but I suspect it will rival most factory ammo.
And you're right, Copper75. This one's just a tease, if he wants another taste he'll have to pull the lever.

[starmac]

I haven't looked , but I'm betting a guy could get one of the old style lee loaders off of ebay pretty cheap, and IF he could find components he would be in business. I fed my 300 savage through high school with one.

Oh yea I forgot, if the guy is a good guy,I'd say you probably did a good thing. If he is starting out with a lever action 30/30 he can't be all bad.

[Bzcraig]

You did a great thing, encouraged him in many ways I'm sure and let him know you would mentor him a bit so he can get it right! Good job.

[TXGunNut]

Good idea, Lee loader would give him a valuable experience. I have an extra press mounted on a portable "bench" and can help him find what he needs, I just want him to get started. Should be fun.

[km101]

Anything that helps someone get started reloading is a good thing. He now has something in hand to demonstrate the benefits of reloading. It's not just something he has heard about. He has reloaded ammo that he can shoot and an offer to show him how to make more. If that doesn't get him interested, nothing will!!
Great way to get him started.

[country gent]

You did it right Now he will know handloads are useable and safe. The accuracy of those loads will probably depend more on him than the loads. But now he has a "starting point" to measure /think from. Yeppers next batch he loads, But I would alocate closer to 3-4 hours for his first box of ammo. Questions explainations and demonstrating eats up alot of time. If you have room on your bench Have him mount his equipent on a 2X12 with room on the ends. This can be c clamped to your bench and he learns and sets up his equipment undersupervision the first time.

[10x]

The first shot is one too many,
10,000 are not ever going to be enough...

[x101airborne]

I think you did great, although I was trying to think of a way to jokingly do the Animal House thing. Ultra Double Secret Probation, but I just havent had enough coffee.
If he cannot find components, I am FLUSH on 30-30 brass and could definately spare some. I also have some Sierra 170 grain RNFP's that I will probably never use. Heck, they are already 30 years old because they are in the paper box with the metal corners. If he is that good a kid, maybe you could snatch him up for a weekend and come see me. Maybe we try out some of the J-words on some intelligent piggies. Components and invite are all free. Just give me the go ahead if this is what you would like. If you want him to scrimp for em like we all did at one time, I respect that also.

[Screwbolts]

You did a great thing!

I didn't know that there was such a thing as an " out of date Manual ".

Ken

[41 mag fan]

Very good deed you done there! I've done that a couple of times myself for guys at work. Only thing is, now they want to know how much it'd cost for me to reload for them. I told them 2 things. Either buy the components and I'll load them for you for free, or buy the equipment and I'll show you how to reload.
When they seen the start up costs of either /or, they balked at spending that much and went back to factory loads.

[Wayne Smith]

You did a good thing, just enough to get him interested without getting him dependent. Depending what his set-up is at home the Lee loader may be the best. Arisaka99 lives around the corner from me so he uses my stuff. His Mom's apartment is too crowded anyway. This guy is an hour away. If he uses your stuff he is really dedicated. If he can set up a reloading bench, even temporarily, at home, so much the better.

I reloaded for years on the kitchen table or the breakfast bar with the press clamped with a board and cloth pad. Came down when I finished and got put away, for years. It can be done.

[SteveUSP]

That's some good karma, and it will come back to you someday.

[gbrown]

I don't see it much different than what Jim did in his thread "Cast your bread upon..." Also, it's good "bait" to really get him interested in reloading. A lot of people are tentative about getting into reloading--a lot of misinformation out there about it. I have talked to people at the range, when they find out I cast and shoot lead boolits, who tell me lead boolits will tear a gun up. ?????? IMHO you done good, a lot of it. He may now want to get into reloading, knowing he has a potential mentor who will be there to answer questions and help.

[Wal']

I bet you will feel as good helping this guy out as he will when you present him with this much wanted ammo for his shiny new rifle.

[linotype]

Yes, sir, a good deed. Tell him when he empties those 30-30s, come back and you'll show him how to fill them again! :-D

[H.Callahan]

You done good.

Now, if he just takes the bait. I've done similar things in the past, but never got any serious nibbles. Mostly, I find that a lot of folks just want you to supply them with cheap ammo (ie, reload for them at just the cost of the components) and aren't really interested in doing it themselves. I still do it when someone shows interest, but I haven't had any takers to this point.

[starmac]

If he gets serious about it, he may be a good candidate for the helping hands forum.

[clintsfolly]

You evil dog pushing him off the slippery slope!!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol: Good going have fun helping him!!! Clint

[popper]

You spoiled him. Now when he does find factory ammo he'll be disappointed in it's performance. Did you tell him to save the brass?

[TXGunNut]

So far, so good. He was quite impressed by the ammo. I even managed to put it in the correct packaging. His first observation was that mine looked better than factory, then he realized it just may work better than factory. I was very impressed when he read the first few pages of the manual while he was taking a break, he had no idea how things actually work.
Good points above, thanks for the encouragement. I'd like for him to come up and use my equipment before buying his own-when he can find it. Seeing and understanding how things work may keep him from buying stuff he doesn't need. Only hazard is that he may be overwhelmed by my setup if he doesn't understand that it's the result of decades of acquisitions and more $$$ than I care to consider. I'll keep the cover on my Dillon and most of my casting stuff is stored out of sight. Could be a challenge keeping him focused.
Could be fun. I don't generally talk about guns at work but have always extended the offer when appropriate. This is the first guy that has expressed an interest.
Thanks for the offer, Trey. He has a good hunting spot and is an avid hunter. I'm pretty well stocked on 30-30 myself and can re-supply quite easily in a few months. He first considered reloading when he bought a .300 RUM rifle and then discovered the price of ammo for his new pride & joy.